Monday, January 11, 2010

Laracroft and the Korsnäs Raiders!

I had the holiday of my dreams this New Year's. A crocheter's dream! I was allowed to teach 2 groups of utterly delightful fibrephiles. I was treated like royalty and generally made much of.

Mostly I coughed at them. I think I might have shown them how to do lined jacquard, between hacking attacks. The day after arriving in Toronto I developed a hideous cold, which I suppose I then shared with everyone I met. Even so, they were very nice to me!

I could kick myself for not taking pictures of the 2nd class. Anyways, I'll start with the first one.
So, the thing about Toronto is that you find the most amazing shops in strip malls. This class was held in one of the most beautiful LYS I've ever been to, Spun Fibre Arts in Burlington, Ontario. This is one very classy LYS. I could have spent days there. It could easily be on some fancy New York Avenue, in fact I doubt if any Avenue in New York can boast a LYS like this. But no, it's in a freezing cold strip mall in Burlington. And despite being in a freezing cold strip mall in the middle of nowhere, it has a lively clientele, and it's no wonder why. If I had been given one more day, I would have taken the GO Train out there just for the chance of seeing it again.
I won't tell you the real names of all those girls, just the Ravelry names ( data protection etc). From left to right, those are bjross, isobel, feyrhi (who finished a cowl in lined jacquard!), moi laracroft, jeaniex, ruthknits, spun (another Danielle like me, and the shop's brilliant owner!) and her delicious baby girl in the best ever crocheted booties, and finally, off to the side ever so modestly, so far off that I can't even get her to fit in the blogger format, is Chatouille, but Chatouille doesn't count, being in another category. She's actually an angel and I will shortly dedicate a small basilica to her.
Then a couple of days later I was invited to give a class at a LYS in Toronto called Passionknit. But the shop itself was being used for something else on the night in question, so Tamaralda who is one of its two vibrant managers, had us all over to her home where we crocheted around the dining room table. Tea, homemade spiced nuts, jolly fire crackling in hearth...castanet playing...I should have paid them for the evening!

I did not take any pictures. I just coughed at them with great abandon. (Finally the only cure was to step out and smoke a cigarette in the snow. Works every time.) I didn't even get all their Ravelry names. But they were really very, very accomplished craftswomen. One woman in particular, I'm afraid will be teaching me crochet jacquard by the next time I get to Toronto. Not surprising I suppose, being one generation older, and Latvian!

So...anyways...this Tamaralda is a live wire and as obsessive once she gets her hands on a craft as I am. She stayed up till the wee hours practicing, analyzing stitch structure, and planning further projects, and I swear she hasn't stopped yet. And she and her equally vibrant colleague Alisamcr came up with this crazy idea to start a Laracroft crochet group! I was tickled pink at the chance to keep up contact with all my new crochet cronies, so we've dubbed the group "Laracroft and the Korsnäs Raiders" and officially inaugurated it on Ravelry. I have to come up with a design for the banner, ISO good pics of Angelina Jolie w/guns. I love my group, it sounds like a rock band.

For all this and more, thank you so much Chatouille.

I could go on and on about my classes in TO but actually I have to be up early to meet with the Municipal Engineering Dept. about the upcoming Fire Drill at my school.

Come on, I have my own Ravelry Group! Can't I quit my day job yet?

10 comments:

Michèle Girard said...

How lucky these girls were! I wish I could have been there. Even with the snow and the cold. Maybe one day you'll come to Florida and teach. Thanks for the invite to your new Ravelry group :)

Unknown said...

Yes absolutely... quit your day job. We need you!
PS: Still obsessively working on your technique - My First Troubadors are a challenge - but I will conquer.
Strength and honour.

SileeLamb said...

I have looked through your blog site after doing a google search for Jacquard and Mosaic crochet. I have been crocheting for quite some time now (15 -20 years).
Last year I went to Newfoundland here in Canada, and fell in love with the Scandanavian style of knitting. As soon as I came home I searched the net to try to find any crochet techniques that were similar to the knitting. Finally I have found you!
My question is, how do I start? Are there books that may help me. What do you suggest?
Please send me an answer when you have the time. Thank you so very much,
Silvia Vanessa Vasquez.

clothogancho said...

Lara, acabo de descubrir tus trabajos. Me los dieron a conocer una compañera artista y diseñadora, y me encantan. Creo que tenemos varios "puntos" en común : los de crochet y la música antigua (para mí la vihuela y la guitarra barroca... el trabajo sobre los tratados de gente como Amat, Sanz y otros... porque además soy hispanista). Espero que vuelvas pronto, tus modelos son realmente preciosos y tan diferentes de lo que encontramos en la red.

Anonymous said...

Dear Laura,

Just love your work. The attention to detail,colour and pure passion is a delight to the eye. Annick directed me to your site. I hope Annick will introduce us next time you are in Toronto. I would have loved your workshop.


Katja Thom

Maven said...

:( Just popped in here after a long while of not popping in... have you abandoned blogging?

Now I am scampering off to check out the Ravelry group you alluded to!

Hope all is well with you! :)

PeixBlau said...

Dear Laura,

I just start crochet this month. :D I was searching for some ideas or technique tips online. Then...I found your work. They are lovely!!! I do really like to learn from other people. Are you still in BCN? Is there a crochet group in BCN?

Besos

Yu

Anonymous said...

Hello, I want to start my adventure with tapestry crochet. Do you have any advice how to start to learn. Do i find any graphic maker or software to can learn this difficult technique?? I looked for a book but on www hand to find. In my native language (polish) didn't found anything.
Thank you, have a great day.
please help me if you can.
byebye

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